Anyone Using Valvoline MaxLife?

[Jelly]

Anyone using this product? Thoughts on it? [ July 17, 2004, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: Jelly ]

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

There are a number of UOAs

 

[Jelly]

Good point...I can find subjective thoughts there as well. [ July 17, 2004, 04:30 PM: Message edited by: Jelly ]

 

[haley10]

Jelly, I have never used this, but..... Are you sure that you have valve stem seal or ring problems?? I'm thinking with the consumption you have talked about before, 1/2 qt. in oci, that maybe not. Subject for another forum, but.... why do you think Maxlife might do anything? Didn't Pennzoil stop your consumption??

 

[Jelly]

*Are you sure that you have valve stem seal or ring problems?? This side of tearing down the engine and doing an examination...no, I'm not 100% sure. What else could cause blue-smoke on startup though (and no other time)? Valve seals "seem" to be the likely culprit. *I'm thinking with the consumption you have talked about before, 1/2 qt. in oci, that maybe not. Why not? Haven't actually carefully monitored oil consumption before, but am doing so this time before I make the switch to a different oil. Gonna change oil out early this time (at 3,000), and although I'm just a little over 2k at the moment, it's on track to use just a tad bit over 1/2qt. for the OCI. *Subject for another forum, but.... why do you think Maxlife might do anything? With Valvoline offering MaxLife for FREE, I was considering giving it a shot...but will most likely use Pennzoil High-Mileage 10w-40. *Didn't Pennzoil stop your consumption?? Long-Life has drastically reduced consumption in my 'ol truck in comparison to how it was when I first got it! Blue smoke is still high though, so hopefully (maybe...) the Pennzoil High-Mileage 10w-40 can keep overall engine consumption around the same level while improving upon the startup blue-smoke issue. [ July 17, 2004, 04:47 PM: Message edited by: Jelly ]

 

[TallPaul]

I had a very good 3000 mile UOA on 10w40 Maxlife in my pickup over the winter. The said I should be able to go 4500 miles on it. Motorhome UOA on Maxlife 10w30 at 4400 miles was pretty good too. Both are on this site.

 

[cryptokid]

i got the maxlife free after rebate deal and am going to use it on my next oci. i will be going 4500 miles on maxlife 5w30 without a filter change.

 

[TC]

Have gone through the first of two oil changes via the free promotion, but on a "new" 2002 ride (Valvoline explicitly states it's OK for new and rebuilt engines.) No negative comments, but then, this engine doesn't yet consume or leak oil no matter what you put in it. No lifter chatter at start-up, pressure delays, or anything like that. Not a hint of sludge or varnish so far.

 

[haley10]

Jelly, you are most likely right, but if the HDEO helped so much, it leads me to believe there may still be some deposit and ring stick issues. I'm not saying that a more "aggressive" cleaning would help, but it's possible. Conventional wisdom says blue smoke is oil burning, but I can't armchair troubleshoot anything. I might try a more aggressive cleaning than HDEO can do and then try the Maxlife.

 

[Thomas Pyrek]

I used to use it. I had a quart of oil consumption in a car that never had any. Same grade of oil, too. I still have a bunch of quarts of it left that I don't intend on using. Well, maybe I'll use it in my beater. FWIW, now I only run HDEO's

 

[Jelly]

*Jelly, you are most likely right, but if the HDEO helped so much, it leads me to believe there may still be some deposit and ring stick issues. I don't believe there are... *I'm not saying that a more "aggressive" cleaning would help, but it's possible. Anything's possible! *Conventional wisdom says blue smoke is oil burning, but I can't armchair troubleshoot anything. *Yep, it's burning alright, but it's coming from the oil that seeps through the valve seals and deposits itself on the piston. On startup, the pooled oil is burnt off, resulting in the blue smoke. I have no smoke at all other times... [ July 19, 2004, 06:28 PM: Message edited by: Jelly ]

 

[darkdan]

Almost sheered to a 20 weight on my dad's sebring after 3000 miles. The wear was pretty decent. It's now running AMSOIL HDD 5w30.

 

[Santo Fontana]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jelly: *Are you sure that you have valve stem seal or ring problems?? This side of tearing down the engine and doing an examination...no, I'm not 100% sure. What else could cause blue-smoke on startup though (and no other time)? Valve seals "seem" to be the likely culprit.

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You dont have to tear down the engine to replace the valve seals, its a pretty easy job. I dont think they are very expensive either. You have a 4.3 and smoke on startup right? Just replace the seals.

 

[Jelly]

quote:

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Originally posted by Santo Fontana: You dont have to tear down the engine to replace the valve seals, its a pretty easy job. I dont think they are very expensive either. You have a 4.3 and smoke on startup right? Just replace the seals.

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I know Santo...you don't exactly have to tear the engine apart (an overstatement on my part), but I'm too lazy to do it right now.

 

[Santo Fontana]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jelly: lazy

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That I can relate to